Coral Sea (CVA 43) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS Coral Sea began her commisMoned service on 1 October 1947. She was named in commemoration of the Battle of the Coral Sea which was the first battle fought by planes from ships which were neither within visual nor radar range of the enemy. The battle saved Australia from Japanese invasion during the early part of World War II. The ship made seven deployments with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in European waters before being decommissioned in 1957 to undergo extensive modification at Bremerton, Washington, which included the installation of steam driven catapults, the installation of an angle flight deck and the relocation of aircraft elevators. Coral Sea ' s first combat action came in 1965, when she took part in the initial air strikes against North Vietnam. She made four more deployments to the Western Pacific during the next five years, giving support to ground troops in South Vietnam until the bombing halt in 1968. During her deployment in 1973, Coral Sea was the first carrier lo deploy from the continental United States after the negotiations of the Vietnam cease-fire agree- ments of 19 3. For Coral Sea it marked the first peacetime cruise following nearly ten years of participation in the Vietnam conflict. During Coral Sea ' s 1975 deployment, she furnished logistic support for the evacuation of South Vietnam. In May 1975, (.oral Sea was once again called upon for support when the U.S. merchant ship SS Mayaguez, llegally seized by Cambodia, was rescued by Seventh Fleet ships. For Coral Sea ' s action in the evacuation of South Vietnam, the ship was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and for support of the Mayaguez rescue, the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 1977 Coral Sea made her twelfth Western Pacific deployment and returned to Alameda to prepare for an 1 1 month complex overhaul in Bremerton Washington. While on her thirteenth deployment, 1979-80, Coral Sea and the Airwing Fourteen team was gone for seven months, including a l()2-day at-sea period in the Indian Ocean. Coral Sea departed for her fourteenth deployment in August 1981 where she spent 78 days at sea in the Indian Ocean prior to operations in the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan. During that deployment. Coral Sea recorded her 300,()()()th arrested landing, a record for aircraft carriers. Coral Sea ' s fifteenth Western Pacific deployment was just part of its World Cruise, including operations in the Northern Pacific, Sea of Japan, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and Caribbean prior to an overhaul period in Norfolk, Virginia. Coral Sea ' s awards include the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Meritorious Unit Citation (CTallantry Cross), Humanitarian Service Medal, four Golden Anchor Awards for personnel retention and the prestigious Admiral Flately Award for avi- ation safety. SHIP ' S HISTORY

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Capt J.D. Bear Taylor Commanding Officer U.S.S. Coral Sea